The inventive concepts disclosed herein relate generally to inhibiting creep in no-back brake devices, and more specifically, to systems and methods for inhibiting creep of a no-back brake device for a stabilizer actuator system.
Aircraft typically utilize horizontal stabilizers that pivot relative to the fuselage of the aircraft. The horizontal stabilizer is adjusted, or trimmed, by way of an actuator. Some actuators include a ballscrew that extends from a primary gimbal on the aircraft fuselage to a ballnut coupled to the horizontal stabilizer. Rotation of the ballscrew causes a corresponding upward or downward movement of the ballnut along the ballscrew, thereby enabling upward and downward adjustment of the horizontal stabilizer. The ballscrew is typically rotated by way of a motor (e.g., an electric or hydraulic motor), which may be used to position the horizontal stabilizer in a desired position during take-off, cruising, landing, etc.
Actuator systems such as horizontal stabilizer trim actuators may use no-back brake devices to avoid unwanted movement of the actuator. The no-back brake device avoids undesirable movement of the horizontal stabilizer by resisting movement of the ballscrew upon which the ballnut, and in turn the horizontal stabilizer, moves.
During flight, aerodynamic loads and vibrations act upon the horizontal stabilizer, and these loads are transmitted to the ballscrew assembly. A typical no-back brake device resists movement of the ballscrew assembly arising from aerodynamic loads in both an upward and downward direction. However, excessive vibration may result in creep, or movement, of the ballscrew assembly, even with usage of the no-back brake assembly.